U.S. asking Ukraine to reject cooperation with China, Bolton confirms

The U.S. is working to prevent Ukraine from
cooperating with China and offering military technologies, U.S. National Security
Adviser John Bolton confirmed during his Aug. 27 visit to Kyiv. At the same
time, Bolton didn’t confirm or deny his reported plans to convince Ukrainians
to halt the announced sale of a controlling stake in aeronautics engine
producer Motor Sich (MSICH UK) to a Chinese holding, the eurointegration.com.ua
news site said. “Ukraine will make its decision but perhaps, Ukraine will find
a better choice that will have better economic consequences for its citizens,”
he said. “Military and sensitive technologies should not end up with
adversaries or potential adversaries.”

The U.S. will not punish the Ukrainian government if
it doesn’t prevent the Motor Sich sale, Bolton also said, stressing instead the
costs Ukraine faces, without specifying them. Ukrainian President Zelensky will
meet with U.S. President Trump in Warsaw on Sept. 1, Bolton also said, during
the 80-year commemoration of the start of World War Two.

Zenon Zawada: Either a
lot more is happening behind the scenes than has been indicated, or Bolton is
not making a convincing argument for Ukraine to refrain from the Motor Sich
sale. Ukraine can’t consider China to be a direct enemy. Arguments against
transferring technologies to China are particularly hollow when considering
sensitive private U.S. defense contractors and technology firms actively hire
Chinese employees and engage in projects with Chinese firms.

Unless a U.S. defense manufacturer is willing to
invest in Motor Sich, we don’t see any pragmatic alternatives to preventing the
announced sale.

As for Zelensky’s Sept. 1 meeting with Trump, we can
certainly expect the Motor Sich sale to be discussed, perhaps even being used
by Zelensky as a bargaining chip. Most certainly, Zelensky has piqued Trump’s
interest in his commitment to ending the warfare in Donbas. But the main
challenge for Ukrainian and U.S. officials is to find a solution that doesn’t
result in the loss of Ukraine’s independence from Moscow, which we don’t see as
realistic.